- 01/27/2017
- 0 Min Read
- By: Anthony Peacock
Zimmermann Rotors and Bosch Quietcast Pads: A Brief Review
Over the summer I was forced to replace the front rotors and pads on my Volvo V70 prematurely due to a seized caliper. There are many cheap local auto store options for these cars but none that I’ve been that happy with in the past. My brand of choice for rotors has been Zimmerman. These discs are made in Germany, they come with a proprietary coating to prevent corrosion, and because of how they are made, they resist warping.
The set of discs I installed had the "Coat Z" zinc material on it which helps greatly to inhibit corrosion on the center and outside of the disc. These areas are never touched by the brake pad so with an uncoated rotor they tend to degrade over time. While it’s not likely this will impact their performance, it’s sure to be ugly. The coating can also be used as is, meaning there is no need to clean the surface of the disc before use. I used part number 31262092 for my Volvo V70 brake rotors, these are the 11” front rotors common on most P80 Volvos.
Next came pads. This was for a daily driver so they didn’t need to be anything that aggressive, just reliable, durable, and quiet. Incomes the Bosch QuietCast line of brake pads. Having never tried them before it seemed like a good opportunity to give them a go. My initial reaction was that they are a bit on the soft side. Going from using PBR Green and the OEM blue box pads, these certainly have a different feel. Despite the softer pedal (yes I properly bled the lines) they have performed excellently over the past 4 months and as the name would suggest, silently.
It’s also a good idea to check on your brake hoses when servicing the front brakes. Examine ends of the rubber hose for cracks and replace then along with your new pads and rotors.
The price for all of these parts was $154.97 or about $77 a side. Not bad considering the quality of parts you’re getting.
